U.S. infatuation with celebrity lifestyle killing the American dream: Barack Obama

U.S. President Barack Obama has hit out at society’s infatuation with celebrity culture and suggested it might be killing the American dream.

In a wide-ranging interview, Mr. Obama also criticized a change in society he said had led to the wealthier elements feeling the need to engage in “conspicuous consumption.”

On Tuesday, Mr. Obama visited one of Amazon’s distribution centres in Chattanooga, Tenn., and sat down for an interview with David Blum, editor of Kindle Singles, a section that deals with short e-books.

Mr. Obama began the interview talking about how his family and his wife’s family had struggled, but took responsibility for what they did, did not rely on government handouts and worked hard for their success.

“I think every kid has some fantasies about what they’d like to have. But I can’t tell you how many people I meet in my generation who will say, ‘Looking back on it, we didn’t have a lot, but we didn’t feel poor.’ The reason was because the American dream involved some pretty basic stuff. A good job where you felt some security. A good education, and the ability to get a higher education if you wanted to pursue it. Health care you could count on,” said Mr. Obama.

“Those cornerstones of what it meant to be middle class were pretty universally held. People felt if they worked hard they could get there. It was achievable. But I don’t think people went around saying to themselves, ‘I need to have a 10,000-square-foot house.’

“If you look back on your childhood, or if I talk to my friends, all of us have that same impression when we go back home and we realize that the place where we were living was pretty small. These days people would say, ‘How did you live in a place that small?’ Well it didn’t feel that small at the time. It was secure. It was stable. We had a car. It wasn’t a fancy car, but it got you around.”

Mr. Obama suggested the middle-class lifestyle was in danger as people’s idea of success changed.

“Were there things that we might have liked to have? Sure. But partly, I think, there has also been a shift in culture. We weren’t exposed to the things we didn’t have in the same way that kids these days are. There was not that window into the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Kids weren’t monitoring every day what Kim Kardashian was wearing, or where Kanye West was going on vacation, and thinking that somehow that was the mark of success.”

He said it was important for people to realize that they could have a good life even if they were not wealthy.

“If they want to be a teacher, they can say, ‘You know what, I can live a good, decent middle-class life as a teacher. I don’t have to be a Wall Street lawyer or banker in order for me to succeed and support my family.'”

And he added, “I do think what’s shifted is a notion that the wealthier you are, the more conspicuous consumption you engage in. The more successful you are, the more society should stay out of your way as you pursue the bigger house or the fancier jet or the bigger yacht. That particular idea runs contrary to what most Americans think of as the most important goals in life.”

However, while decrying the celebrity-obsessed society, Mr. Obama is not without using star power for his advantage.

Last year, there were a number of celebrity-packed fundraisers for the president, including one hosted by actor George Clooney at his home that brought in $15-million. Guests included Robert Downey Jr., Billy Crystal, Jack Black, Salma Hayek and Tobey Maguire.

A two-day swing through the West Coast last year also raised $5-million and included a dinner at the Los Angeles home of Glee creator Ryan Murphy, where people paid $25,000 to dine with the president.

In June last year, the Washington Examiner reported that Mr. Obama and/or First Lady Michelle Obama had held 28 fundraisers featuring Hollywood actors, producers, or singers.